New wannabe shrimp keeper here. I started a new 3.5 gallon mini planted nano and would like to keep RCS or CRS-S grade or lower. My tank has been cycled for about two weeks now, keeping some Gertrude Rainbows, and feeder shrimps (I think they are a type of Neo's, not the normal ghost shrimps).

I dose EI regularly, and I do a 50% WC weekly with filtered tap water at 4dkh and 9dGH before adding Prime. I don't have a TDS meter yet so I don't have values for it. I also run an eheim 2213 and eventually will be using Purigen to clean up tanins.

With this setup, would I be able to successfully keep and breed RCS or CRS in this tank? I don't want to sacrifice my EI dosing or CO2, my thoughts were to initially go with RCS, then introduce CRS, since I heard they do not interbreed. Eventually, maybe taking out the RCS, and trying other shrimps if this tank is successful. I was think if my TDS ends up rising, I could do one of the water changes with RO or distilled water. Also, WC would be done slower since it does cause a rise in ph from 6.6 to about 7.2, due to lack of Co2 in the new water. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

RCS are very easy to keep. I had some in a 2 gallon evolve with soil capped with eco-complete as the substrate and high levels of CO2 (HC carpet like your tank) and they bred like crazy. Ended up having way more than 50 in a 2 gallon and started giving them away before finally selling my colony.

Ah, yeah, I like Red Cherry's cause I like reds, and it would be a nice contrast to the green HC. I also like the S grade Crystals, because that red and white banding is just awesome looking. The idea was to start with Cherry Reds, and if that survives well, throw in some crystal reds. I heard they can be kept together.

well now....that's a curveball. I see required parameters for Cherry reds to be in a broad range, while the crystal reds require a narrower range, inside the range for Cherry reds. This would mean that CRS can be kept together with RCS, as long as water parameters suit the CRS.

well now....that's a curveball. I see required parameters for Cherry reds to be in a broad range, while the crystal reds require a narrower range, inside the range for Cherry reds. This would mean that CRS can be kept together with RCS, as long as water parameters suit the CRS.

My cherries were in a tank with a gh of 3 and a kh of 1 if I remember correctly. The well water at my last place was very soft and they didnt seem to care.

I am thinking of going with CRS in my newest tank that will be a similar set up to yours. I was speaking with someone locally and they said that CRS are a lot easier to keep than many make it seem. He has some SS-SSS in a tank with Seiryu and says he doesn't remineralize the water and just uses straight RODI. I have an RODI for my reef so I'm probably going to do the same.

My tanks are all 0kh, 5 gh, ph 6.5ish and I breed crystals, TBs, and neos no problem. For your water, cherries will be fine. Crystals might be ok but I would not personally recommend it. I think that if you get your hands some RO water and a remineralizer you'd have a lot more luck with Crystals.

My tanks are all 0kh, 5 gh, ph 6.5ish and I breed crystals, TBs, and neos no problem. For your water, cherries will be fine. Crystals might be ok but I would not personally recommend it. I think that if you get your hands some RO water and a remineralizer you'd have a lot more luck with Crystals.

hmm...0kh would be pretty rough in my tank with injected Co2. At the rate I am putting in, with 0kh, and assuming RO water with remineralizer for Shrimp, my PH will end up being in the 5 to sub 5's. At least that's what I assume so with my limited chemistry knowledge.

You can keep them together but be aware that RCS may outcompete CRS in breeding and food. Also a 50% water change is asking for trouble. I would not change out more than 10% weekly with only shrimp in a planted tank. The plants will use up almost all the bad stuff and a larger water change could stress out your shrimp.

You can keep them together but be aware that RCS may outcompete CRS in breeding and food. Also a 50% water change is asking for trouble. I would not change out more than 10% weekly with only shrimp in a planted tank. The plants will use up almost all the bad stuff and a larger water change could stress out your shrimp.

Thanks for the heads up on RCS outcompeting the CRS. I'm not sure I can do a 10% water change with my current tank.

to elaborate a bit on EI fert dosing is, it's a method of dosing NPK+macro nutrients fairly heavily so that there is no chance of a nutrient deficiency. This method has a chance of a nutrient build up, so a 50% W/C is highly recommended to "reset" the nutrients back to lower levels.

I guess my original post was a loaded question, it seems it isn't an ideal setup, and there are better parameters to adhere to. I think now, I don't doubt that RCS will thrive, I heard they are like roaches. More concerned now with CRS and others like it. I haven't seen very much cross over on folks wanting to maintain high tech planted tanks with CRS.

Sorry, never tried. Haven't found a way to get them yet. However, my feeder shrimps have been doing well in my tank, I started with about 10, breed like 3 times. All deaths have been due to jumping. I dunno if its much of an indication, cause these are the generics and usually extremely hardy, probably more closely related to cherry reds. The do alright as a cleaning crew, but I think could be better.

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